Propofol Prevents Peroxide-induced Inhibition of Glutamate Transport in Cultured Astrocytes

Glutamate transporters located in the plasma membrane of cerebral astrocytes take up excitatory neurotransmitters from the synaptic cleft. In diseases characterized by oxidative stress, the extracellular glutamate concentration increases and contributes to neuronal death. The authors wanted to determine whether propofol defends brain cells against oxidant-induced changes in their transport of glutamate.Primary cultures of rat cerebral astrocytes...